


Starlight

by Saiph_ire



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Cuddles, I Tried, M/M, Nightmares, Season 4 Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-23
Updated: 2017-10-23
Packaged: 2019-01-22 00:40:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,611
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12469628
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Saiph_ire/pseuds/Saiph_ire





	Starlight

Taka- Shiro was alive. Kati- Pidge, Pidge was alive. His father was alive and they were going to find him. It was going to be okay. Everything was going to be okay. Matt had found his family again. They were going to be okay.

Why was this still happening? Pidge was next door, Shiro down the hall, it was fine, he knew it was fine, why was it happening?

The nightmares had continued since he’d left Tak- the prison. The Galra Prison. His father had been lost, his friend left to fight in wars he shouldn’t have to, his sister left on Earth, supposedly safe but no no Galra had been near Pluto they could find Earth, he feared the worst, of course he’d feared the worse. It had crept into his dreams, corrupting the quiet moments with Katie (She’d always been Katie, always would be, Earth cant die it just cant there’s toomanypeopledownthere-), the proud, tired speeches from his father (What had happened to him, he was hurt it should’ve been me nonono-), and the small smiles of encouragement from Shiro (what monster would he have to face next, would he survive, what would happen without my help, he needs medi- me-). He’d wake up, pace the small room that the rebels had given him, and try to hide his pain. They didn’t have to save them, they had enough hackers, they could just let him loose, if he showed weakness he’d be thrown out. So he covered his pain in loose smiles and references to Earth’s culture, no one understood but no one pushed him away so it worked. It Worked.

But here, they know him. They’re family, both home and fear of being found out.

Takash- (goddamnit) Shiro would sense something probably before Pidge would. He’d always been good at seeing his worry, even when Matt had tried to hide it under his save-face. Pidge hadn’t seen through some of the times he had hidden his nervousness of not being able to see her (wait did she? had she? cant tell shes good at hiding too shi-). What would happen if they found out? A flash of the nightmare, torture at it’s finest to try and find Earth and kill it nonono stop it stop it. Stop.

He leans against the metal wall, and sighs out a painful note. The cold centers him, the warmth of the sheets had been reminding of the- Stop no no no. It’s okay now, it’s okay. He gets up, keeping a hand anchored to the wall, the room temperature is way colder than expected what the hell Altea. Even the rebels did not keep it this cold at night and they were _trying to hide from heat sensors_. Matt shivers and walks to the hooks on the wall, grabbing his cloak and wrapping it around himself, before going to the door. He has to see if they’re okay, has to see Pidge and Shiro. He doesn’t want to wake them up (Katie had never been a heavy sleeper, and Shiro… Shiro needs his rest), but he needs to know if they’re fine. Matt opens the door to find someone just about to knock.

“Hi.” It’s Shiro. Matt smiles, stress draining out of his shoulders because he’s alive he’s not hurt he’s not different (except for the arm and where the hell did he get that sweatshirt) but that doesn’t matter because he’s alive. Matt stifles the urge to hug him; he doesn’t want to startle him even though he so desperately needs it.

“Hey. What’s up?” Matt leans against the doorway, cloak settling around him silently. “Also, wait, what time is it?”

Shiro squints at the ceiling, before replying: “Sometime around 1 o’clock? I don’t know, didn’t check my clock before getting up.” He thinks for a minute before rubbing at the back of his neck. “I heard a noise, wanted to make sure everything was alright.”

Shit.

shitshitshitshitshitshitshitshit

Matt can feel the blood draining from his face, he knows he’s making it worse, can’t stop making it worse. “What? There was a noise? What kind of noise? I didn’t hear anything.”

“Matt.”

“What?”

Shiro sighs. “Can I come in?”

“Yeah, yeah sure.” Matt moves out of the way as Shiro enters, hitting the low-level light switch on. His room is a stark reminder of his room at the rebel base; impersonal and clean, a complete contrast to what he used to have at home. A complete opposite of his room on the Kerberos mission. He leans against one of the walls, trying to ignore his brain. “So…”

Shiro gives him a pointed look. “Matt.”

“Yes, that’s my name, you’ve said it twice now, whatcha want?”

“Matt…”

“Three times and counting.”

“Goddamnit Matt.”

“Dude, you know how I feel about that subject, but still, if He is real I don’t want to get on His bad side, so please don’t ask Him to damn me.”

“Wha-”

“Also, before you say my name again and we continue down a road of infinitely repeating each other, can I check out your arm?”

Shiro immediately stiffens, unconsciously fiddling with the arm in question. “Here?”

Matt hadn’t realized he’d been wearing an easy smile until it fell away into a concerned frown. “Well, I mean, I’d prefer a lab setting so I could check out the code that makes it tick, but here’s fine. I just wanna see how all the mechanics work, if you’re okay with that.”

He thinks for a couple of seconds, brows furrowed, before giving a sharp nod. Matt walks over to him, cautiously reaches for his arm, and sits down on the floor, pulling a very startled Shiro down with him. He investigates delicately, looking up for confirmation before moving or examining anything. Shiro watches him work for a minute or two before he finally speaks, almost too quiet to hear. “Matt, what are you trying to hide?”

Matt freezes. He’s stuck between two options, one being the easy way out (the dismissal, the ignorance, and with it the pain of continuing to live with this burden alone), the other being much harder (both the pros and cons being actually talking about it, which feels like it would hurt more, but the hopeful acceptance and help being worth it). Of course, he could just stay silent and hope that this goes away, but A.) that never works, and B.) that would lead almost automatically to The Hard Way.

He chooses his option, sighs, places his hands in his lap, and sits up, looking at Shiro, trying (and failing) to judge the expression on his face. He resists the urge to sigh again, takes a deep breath, and just talks.

“I— You said you heard a noise earlier. I think it might have been me... Not sure about that though. I’ve been— I’ve been having nightmares since I was rescued from the Galra Prison. I didn’t want to, well, be abandoned by the Rebels, they were the only thing keeping me alive, so I just... hid it. And I guess I just got used to doing that and I just had another nightmare, worse than usual, before I opened the door and— I don’t know what... I just...”

Shiro shuffles closer and wraps his arms around Matt, who just can’t take it anymore. The dam breaks, and months of misery take their toll as Matt collapses into the hug, feebly trying to return it. Matt keeps babbling, he can’t stop, just needs to get it all out. “They’re about you— you and Katie and Dad and it hurts so much, Takashi, it hurts so much and I can’t stop it, I try and it just— fuck, I just want it to stop, please…”

“I know. It’s okay now, I got you.”

They stay like that for a while, Matt getting it all out while Shiro tries to comfort him. Afterwards, after Matt realizes he’s just staying in his arms for no reason, just resting, he backs off.

“I… I get them too. I just want you to know that I get what’s going on.” Shiro stands up and offers a hand to Matt, who takes it. Their hands stay together just a moment longer than each would like to admit, unready to separate again. Matt unclasps his cloak, feeling much better than before, much more ready to actually sleep, and moves to hang it up.

“Thank you, Shirt.”

Shiro smiles. “No problem, Doormat.”

He starts to head for the door, Matt getting into the bed, before Matt just stops. “Wait, Shiro…” (whatthehellareyoudoing) “Please, don’t go. I, uh, I just don’t want to be alone tonight, if you don’t mind.”

Shiro stops, and turns around. “Okay.”

* * *

 

When Pidge comes to investigate the noise she heard last night the next morning, when she opens the door to Matt’s room, hoping to see him sleeping, she doesn’t expect broad shoulders to be blocking her view of him. She, like the younger sister she is, decides to quietly investigate while being ready to run like hell if anyone catches her. She sneaks in, and examines the situation. Matt’s awake, but he doesn’t look like he A.) missed any sleep (if anything he looks more well rested than usual) and B.) noticed her (Because he’s staring at… is that Shiro? He’s sleeping). She decides to blow her cover for a good reason. “Hey, I came to see if you were okay, are you okay?”

Matt blinks, then looks up at her, the scar still startlingly on his cheek. “Oh, yeah, yeah I’m fine.”

“... did you two do anything?”

“Katie!” Aaaaand there she goes, the fastest Pidge alive!


End file.
